Kash found that he had to be diligent, organized, and conscientious. He had to give thought to the goals and emotions of his people. They responded more to this than to any threat of harm, for they knew that the people of the Underlands were its true soul and body, not the Underlord himself. Their ruler was to be a facilitator, a benefactor, often a servant.
In his early years, Kash had found these revelations hard to swallow. He was powerful, of good breeding, and his family was of high standing. He simply hadn't realized that leadership was hard work.
Yet he fell into it easily. After all, conquering the land itself had been no simple task either. He was confident in his ability to adapt, to learn, and to succeed. Now, his people loved him, his workmen and soldiers respected him, and all of Underland was united to rise and claim Overland for themselves.
Kash had just folded back down to his palace from the risen Testadel. Experience had taught him the importance of rest. The fortress would be safe enough without him. Besides, if Gorgonbane returned to attack sooner than he expected, with a greater force or without, Ugrata would fold down and let him know. He didn't think it would come to that.
Even those mighty warriors would hesitate to take him head on, in his own fortress no less. They'd slain many of his legions, but crossed swords with him only once. Kash took pride in knowing that he'd been the one to walk away without a limp.
He grinned.
Overland had no idea what had just begun. Kash didn't even care about the loss of those several Monstrosities, or the half-battalion of werewolves. All of the Underlands were at the ready to claim the surface world, and Overland would never be able to unite in defense.
Kash laughed.
Even if they wanted to unite, no one up there knew which city he would attack next. Where would they convene?
Kash strolled through his austere throne room to the balcony outside. It overlooked the fields arrayed around the palace, and the wall far beyond. Gen were hard at work below, tending the blackberry groves and the bloodhooves out in their pasture.
Yes, it was better to be down here for now. Maybe even after the conquest was complete. There was something comforting about the dark, distant vault of the sky that the silver moon endlessly circled. It was to him as a blanket to a young child, and Kash felt no guilt at recognizing this. He supposed it was ingrained in his flesh. From time immemorial, those born in the Underlands had harbored a natural aversion to the surface world. Sometimes even a fear of it. He still didn't know what long lost condition had caused the aversion, but clearly it no longer existed. Overland was now no more dangerous to an Underlander than the realm of subterra. Again, it was simply less comfortable.
Not that this rendered it less desirable for conquest.
A bloodhoof herdsman caught sight of Kash on his high balcony and waved. Kash waved back. He called to one of his footmen who waited just inside the balcony doors. The servant obediently stepped outside.
"Have a sumptuous dinner sent to that man's family, Jorgra," he said to the footman. "Serve it on silver dishes, with a crystal carafe of glimmermead for each adult in the household. Insist that they keep the dishes when the meal is done. If they inquire as to why I have sent it, tell them you do not know."
Jorgra nodded and trotted off to see to the dinner.
Kash was not always so extravagant with his rewards, especially for something so trivial as a friendly wave, but today was a special day. Even in the unlikely event that the Underlord's plan failed - and he seriously doubted this - today day would be written in history as the day that the Underlands asserted their dominance over the world. It was the day that the seat of Overlandish knowledge, scholarship, and religion had been wiped from existence.
And though he hadn't planned it, it had been the day that Kash had bested Gorgonbane a second time, a feat which no other living mortal held claim to.
Kash smiled in satisfaction, then checked himself. He shook his head slowly.
He should not linger on such emotions. If he began to feel secure, fulfilled, he might become mired in contentment. He might decide that one or two cities were enough, might begin to feel that the Overlanders deserved to keep some of what had been theirs. It was a strange sense of fairness that sometimes crept into his thoughts, and he had to banish it along with any hint of complacency.
No, this victory must be total. Whichever Overlanders survived to live under his rule would come to love and respect him as the Underlanders did. They would learn to till their fields and pluck from their vines as if he were always watching, and they would send tribute in the hopes of gaining his favor. He would bless them with dinners, and livestock, and even enchantments, and they would love him.
The world may even enjoy a time of peace.
The faint sound of reality ripping apart came from the throne room behind him, and Kash started. He hadn't expected anything
